John C. Hamilton
BIRTH 25 Apr 1788
DEATH 7 May 1818 (aged 30)
BURIAL New Liberty Cemetery
Edmonton, Metcalfe County, Kentucky, USA
His middle name is possibly Clendenin/Clendenen. Which supposedly was his mother's maiden name. Found listed this way in 5 family trees without a source. Please forward source if found. Thank you
Metcalfe County - The Hamilton Murder Trial
"...a convicted murderer in MS confessed to the crime some 50 years later..."
The above website lists the death date as May 17, 1818. According to other information found that would be incorrect. His headstone and the below newspaper article list the date as May 7, 1818.
JOHN HAMILTON. – This unfortunate man, at our last Circuit Court, was sentenced to be hung on the 7th of May next. The circumstances relative to this case are lamentable to relate: about nine months ago this man was apprehended and tried in Glasgow, before a magistrate, on strong suspicions of killing Dr. Alex’r. Sanderson, a citizen of the Mississippi territory; and from a long chain of evidence, which verged to the same point, he was committed to jail, and there remained until his trial, when he was found guilty, and sentenced to death. It appears that the Dr. came to this country with a view of purchasing negroes, and is said to have had with him 8 or 10 thousand dollars, which can’t be accounted for, and is supposed to have been the cause of his murder. It is to be regretted, and the Hamilton family to be pitied, who have been known to be honest, upright and respectable citizens of our country for many years. The circumstances were so strong against the prisoner, that they almost amounted to positive evidence; His riding breeches and the pistol, found where the Dr. was murdered, were identified in court. John Rowan and Samuel Brems, Esquires, appeared for the prisoner, and with their cunning and ingenuity availed nothing; Soloman P. Sharp, Esq. and Mr. Buckner, (from Green) the Commonwealth’s attorney, appeared against the prisoner, and with unequalled eloquence and ability, left not the least doubt on the minds of the jury of the prisoner’s guilty. The court was the whole term occupied in this case.
[Glasgow, Ky. Patriot.
The Mississippi State Gazette, Natchez, Mississippi, Saturday, May 2, 1818, Page 2, column 1
Inscription
PVT
KY MTD VOL MIL
WAR OF 1812
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17941989/john_c_hamilton
